Condensate, which substantially consists of water and oil, and which stems from the lubricants of the compressors and the moisture content of the gas, for example, is produced in pressurized gas systems, such as pressurized air systems. Generally, this condensate affects the intended use of the pressurized gas system through dirt, clogging and corrosion. Therefore, it has to be collected and discharged from time to time from the pressurized gas system, which is closed as such, without larger amounts of gas or pressurized air being lost and the pressure in the system dropping significantly, if possible.
Carrying out such discharging processes in strictly predefined time intervals is known. This course of action, which not controlled by any requirements, is disadvantageous in that the above-mentioned pressure losses may possibly, and among other things, occur, caused by unnecessary discharging processes. Ideally, the filling level is monitored quantitatively and continuously in order to control the discharging process depending on the filling level, both with regard to its duration as well as with regard to its timing. As regards the quantitative filling level measurement, the use of condensate drainage means equipped with floats is known, there being a danger of an occurrence of agglutination, so that the condensate can no longer be discharged or that pressurized gas losses occur as a result of this, due to unnecessary release of the pressurized gas. Therefore, it is also known to monitor the filling level indirectly, for example by means of a capacitive measurement.
Thus, a quantitative measurement is technically possible, although complicated. However, there are problems with the discharging process because turbulences in the backed-up pressurized condensate have to be avoided in order to enable a reliable filling level measurement at all. Particularly in the case of the generally small-volume collecting regions of conventional condensate drainage means, this is impossible. In other words, filling level monitoring during the discharging process is generally “blind”.